Whomsoever worships BhagavAn SrI LakshmI varAha when he is healthy, is fondly remembered by BhagavAn Himself during his last moment of departure from this world and is escorted by His divine grace to SrI Vaikuntha , His Supreme abode.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

SrI YAjnavalkya Jayanti will be celebrated on KArtika MAsa , Sukla Paksha DvAdaSI which falls on Monday the 7th November 2011. This day is also known as YogISvara dvAdaSI. It is very important for all those who believe in Vedic tradition to remember with gratitude this great Rishi par excellence . With the direct blessings of SUrya Deva, he propagated SuKla Yajur Veda which contains the ISAvAsyopanishad. He along with his two dharma Patnis MaitreyI and KatyAyanI are referred to in BrihadAraNyaka Upanishad. His debate with GArgI, the daughter of VAcaknu stimulates the intellect. The philosophical expositions of SrI YAjnavalkya in the Assembly of Emperor Janaka are deep- rooted in spiritual knowledge which transcend time and place.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Modern people think that spirituality is different and that it begins only when religion ends. This is due to wrong understanding of the principles of sanAtana dharma. According to us both are complimentary and not contradictory.

As our Religion is based on the foundation of dharma, there is no disjoint between religion and spirituality. In fact, the path of karma yoga representing rituals as ordained in the Scriptures followed in the spirit of selflessness without getting attached to the results and offered as dedication to the Supreme purifies the TrikaraNas constituting the mind, speech and action.

Only when the vAsanas get extinguished and the sway towards rajas and tamas gets corrected , one can achieve tranquility. The day to day practice of dharma plays a pivotal role in shaping the inner core of the person and lifts him up from the terrestial to the transcendental plane , from physics to metaphysics and from entertainment to enlightenment.

Thus there is no dichotomy between religion and spirituality.

Also certain people think that those who practice dharma are inferior to those who talk about spiritual pursuits. This assumption is also wrong as a religious person who follows dharma SAstras can attain the abode of the Supreme by his steadfastness, dedication and devotion.

The following are the eight exalted Gopis who are engaged in the divine service of SrI RAdhA KrishNa:(1) KalAvati(2) SubhAngadA(3) HiraNyAngi(4) RatnalekhA(5) SikhAvati(6) Kandarpa Manjari(7) PhullakAlikA(8) Ananga Manjari

The following are the eight varishta Gopis who are considered to be topmost in the divine service of SrI RAdhA KrishNa:(1) LalitA devi(2) VisakhA devi(3) CampakalatA(4) CitrA(5) TungavidyA(6) IndulekhA(7) Rangadevi(8) Sudevi

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

I pray to the Goddess Sri Radha Devi, SriKrishna’s beloved Queen, the source of the beauty of Brindavan, who is auspicious and is of the form of mercy.

Sri Radha is none other than Sri Mahalakshmi, who out of great compassion, facilitates the individual Self to get the divine grace of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, the glorious Yogesvara. According to the Scriptures, the best way to approach Sri Krishna is through obtaining the grace of Sri Radha. Let us not miss this opportunity today to offer our humble and sincere prayers. On this most auspicious Radhashtami day, may Sri Radha Krishna shower blessings on all.

Monday, August 22, 2011

We need not necessarily quote from Scriptures all the time. As long as our practice is not in variance with the dharma, we can always go by it and explain it in general terms. If a genuine practitioner of dharma says something it carries full conviction.

Dharma is of two types, sAmanya dharma and viSesha dharma . In order to properly understand the intricacies of dharma for practical appliication in a specific situation, we may have to refer to the Scriptures as they constitute the root of dharma.

One word of caution. While rationalizing one should not contravene the Scriptures.
Rationalization manifests as a poem while Scriptures constitute the prosody.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

SrImahA vishNu took the avatAr of SrI HayagrIva and destroyed the demons Madhu and kaitabha and restored the glory of the Vedas. He graciously taught the Vedas to Brahma . Therefore, SrI HayagrIva is the foundation of all vidyAs.One who worships SrI HayagrIva is bestowed with proper knowledge.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

1. Vapanam ( hair-cut ) only for BrahmacAri2. snAnam3. sandhyavandanam4. samitAdhAnam only for BrahmacAri5. AupAsanam for Gruhastha6. KamokarishIt Mantra Japam ( Not applicable in the first year of upanayanam)7. MAdhyAnikam8. Brahma yajnam9. snAna mahAsankalpam10.snAnam11.YajnopavIta dhAraNam12.Maunji, ajina, danda dhAraNam only for BrahmacAri13.Kandarishi tarpaNam14.Upakarma homam15.nAndI SrAddham ( only in the first year of upanayanam)16.VedArambham17.namaskAram

This year on 13th August 2011, Sukra maudya SAnti homam also to be performed.

Notes:1. As there is no SandhyA vandanam without gAyatrI japam, gAyatrI japam should be chanted in prAtah / MAdhyAnika sandhyA vandanam .2. No food is to be taken before fully completing the upAkarma as above.3. vapanam ( hair-cut) only for BrahmacAri

Sunday, June 26, 2011

In order to suit modern times, Dharma SAstras as applicable to Kali yuga should not be altered.

On the other hand, considering the modern age, total compliance with dharma SAstras is too difficult for many of us.

As an alternative, those who feel that they are not in a position to comply with certain stipulations of dharma SAstras should take the advice from those well-versed in dharma SAstras and act accordingly. Such guidance is valid only for that particular person as applicable to his case under certain circumstances. We should not generalise these guidelines and make them universally applicable in all other cases without any reference to the facts and circumstances involved. Such personal one to one advice has to be respected and should not be discussed in open Forums. I offer this suggestion only for those who are interested in following dharma SAstras as far as possible.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Brahma Yajna is a nitya karma which has to be performed just like sandhyA vandanam. Hence a vipra has to necessarily perform brahma yajna daily even after the demise of his wife. This is the correct position as per dharma SAstras.

Use five fingers together while taking tIrtham. Then separate the thumb finger and little finger. Whatever water remains in the hand is to be used for Acamanam. { This is also interpreted as MAshamagnam tIrtham}

---- and so on ----

Asanam :kukkutAsanam

Direction:East ot North

PAtram:

While doing anushtAnam, a separate vessel is preferable for Acamanam as Acamana tIrtham is not be used for other purposes like prokshaNam.

(4) Touch the twelve parts chanting the DvAdaSa namas starting with Om KeSavAya namah (each one at a time) and ending with Om dAmodarAya namah

Number of times

(1) Two times before homa, japa and one time at the end(2) Two times before and after food

SrotrAcamanam

tasmAt AcamanAsambhave nAsikA karNa Sparsah kAryah !

If Acamanam cannot be done with water, by touching the tip of the nose and right ear, one gets the benefit of doing the Acamanam. It is known as SrotrAcamanam.

Brahma Yajna Acamanam

While doing brahma Yajnam one Acamanam is done in a different format without mantra.

AcamanIyam during devatArAdhanam

When arghya, PAdya and AcamanIyam are offered to BhagavAn, as part of devatArAdhana, it has to be shown with reverence. One should not consume the water so offered as AcamanIyam because the same is offered to BhagaVan with the bhAva that it is consumed by Him.

As regards a simple thing like Acamanam, there are subtler aspects, different interpretations and varied practices . Hence it would be advisable for those interested in karmAnushthAna to know these things personally in a traditional guru -sishya format.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

The Vedic statements “na tasya pratimA asti” from Sukla Yajur Veda and "na tasya pratimA syAt" from SvetAsvatara Upanishad are misquoted by some to prove that Vedas are against temple idol worship. Let us see why such interpretation is erroneous and baseless.

According to Vedanta, three states of consciousness are there --- jAgrat, svapna and sushupti. The Atman is known as viSva, taijasa and prAjna in these three states respectively.The turIya is the fourth which is different from the three. According to Paingala Upanishad there are five states - Waking, dream, deep sleep,swoon and death.

There is a forward movement from one state to another which involves the intermediary stage.

Thus from waking to dream , there is an intermediary stage. This in my humble view has to be construed as belonging to the previous State of consciousness. Thus the intermediary stage between waking and dream experience should be considered as waking state.. Similarly the intermediary stage between dream and deep sleep experience should be considered as dream state

According to SAstras, in the state of deep sleep, there is total ignorance about the existence of the objects except the awareness that "I Exist." While the experience during waking and dreaming states is different for different people, the deep sleep state is same for all. The witness "I" exists in all the three states.

Considering the position of SAstras on this topic, if the meeting of one's departed ancestor has happened in the intermediary stage just before svapna, it has to be construed as jAgrat state. If it has happened in the intermediary stage just before deep sleep, it has to be construed as svapna state.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

In the dharma SAstra texts, the views of various smrutis on a topic are presented. At times these differ from each other. Hence the best approach to be followed is to know the SishtAcAra from our elders who are well-versed in the practice of dharma. One has to act accordingly.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Vedas have to be properly recited by adhering to the svaras , matras and diction.By not conforming to the injunctions (niyamas), one would get adverse effects. There are six types of persons whose Vedic recitation is considered defective.

Six types of adhama pAthakas with reference to Vedic recitation:

(1) One who sings without following the svara niyamas(2) One who chants very fast(3) One who shakes the head while reciting(4) One who recites the Vedas using a written text (book)(5) One who does not know the meaning of Vedas(6) One whose voice is not audible

About Me

I am interested in Vedic studies , Vedic culture and Philosophy.My Book on Vedic Management has been published by Taxmann, India.
http://www.taxmann.com/bookstore/AuthProduct.aspx?authid=120
http://www.vedvikas.com